Help! I suck at .... (Insert Track here!)

Here's the idea. Wether it's rFactor, iRacing or F1 2010: in this thread you can post a track on which you, somewhat mysteriously for yourself, eat dust, even against the AI of the game. Other people can offer advice... or commiserate!

For example: in every racegame I play I suck in Monaco. And it's always the third sector. I am good through the twisty bit at Casino. I am fast through the Chicane. But at the last little bit and I think especially through La Rascasse I lose about five seconds to the AI...

But some good news also. I found a lot of time in Silverstone by going really SLOW into Woodcote. And I also found out that in Shanghai braking and shifting in parts in the first difficult corner after the start-finish straight helps me a lot.

I absolutely hate new Hockenheim GP track. It's stupid, short and no good places to overtake. I hate it with F1 Challenge '99-'02 (PC EA), F1 CE (PS3 Sony), GT Legends (PC) and Race Driver (PS2).

I quite like Hockenheim, it's a simple circuit and I like simple ;)

Like Chezrome I hate Monaco, I hate watching races there I hate racing games there and I'm crap at it, in most racing games I either skip it or with F1 2010 I make sure I get disqualified, anything but actually drive it. Strange thing is I can put in a fast lap time there in most games, just not consistently.

Catalunya - the whole circuit. Never been fast there despite many hours trying.

Silverstone (New) - Wasn't great at the old layout, but was competitive at least. Now with new section I'm always hovering around a best of 10th in qualifying no matter what car I'm in. Race is a little better but still never been in with shout of winning, despite then dominating the rest of the season...

Melbourne - Love driving this track, but not as fast as I think I should be. Always difficult to win here, and qualifying is never great.

Suzuka. I have never finished a race there and have been simracing all the way back to F1 2001 days and am a Division 1 iRacer.
I was always pig slow at the last chicane and one of the Degners got/gets me every time.

Melbourne. Just never clicked on the track, don't know why.

On the flip side, I am absolutely awesome at Hungary. I was once in a league (rFactor based) where I lapped the field at the Hugaroring (the same guys who beat me easily in Melbourne).

Catalunya. Have never and will never be able to drive it in any game. Somehow it all runs together and I never feel any kind of place on the circuit. Can also suffer from this at the Hungaroring.

Silverstone Im never actually good at, especially the new one

Abu Dhabi seems unfathomable to me.

I love love love driving Spa, Suzuka, Monaco, Melbourne, Interlagos, Montreal, Donington . Its probably because every corner is embedded in the mind so I can really focus on technique not on remembering whats coming up.

How much time do you put in to setting up the car for a particular track?

I drive a lot of sims, I work on them and so it goes with the territory. But any track can be broken down into braking and acceleration zones dictated by visual references, and so it is just a case getting to know them, seeing the pace of others, and adjusting the car accordingly.

If I am ever dead slow compared to others, it is usually down to setup of the car.

How much time do you put in to setting up the car for a particular track?

I drive a lot of sims, I work on them and so it goes with the territory. But any track can be broken down into braking and acceleration zones dictated by visual references, and so it is just a case getting to know them, seeing the pace of others, and adjusting the car accordingly.

If I am ever dead slow compared to others, it is usually down to setup of the car.

Quite a lot with the tracks I'm worst at actually... I've spent hours and hours pounding round Catalunya, trying more front wing, less front wing, more camber, less toe... everything I can think of.

I brake as late as I possibly can for corners, and I know I'm a good braker because I'm good at all the other tracks in that area. I'm good at using visual references for braking and turning points too, but there's just something lacking at that circuit. I'd probably need a driver to watch me and tell me where I'm going wrong...

Is the idea of this thread to reveal what tracks you suck at or give tips on how not to suck?!

Suck: On F12010 I'm finding Melbourne annoying. I don't find the track tricky, infact I feel like I'm in the groove, yet I've downloaded faster ghosts and they just seem to be able to brake later and take more speed through Turn 1, 6, 8 and through the Esses on the back straight. I just can't figure out if its a low or fast downforce circuit for a start. The other circuit where I am generally off the pace is at Monaco, where the pace of some of the cars seems unfeasible. For example, I can basically match a particular ghost that is about 1 sec of a lap faster than me, until casino, but then by the swimming pool they've got the second on me, so S2 is not good for me!

Tips: Few people have expressed difficulty with Spain. I'm pretty handy there (1.18.900 in time trial). My set up is just quick set up lowest downforce, engine on fast and the adjustable front wing UP. Brake very late into T1 including 'turn in' and get 2 wheels over the kerb on the right and then full power before the apex. Then as you go into the left hand T2 sweep the car will obviously be on line over to the right so you HAVE TO bring it back far left for the chance to go flat through the long right hander T3 - even if this means a micro-lift to help bring the car back across this is worth it. Right hand T4 is definately NOT a late braking zone, its all about a smooth line and taking as much speed as possible through it, I find a late apex is ideal and the same goes for T5, its just a slower left hand version - where the key is to be on the power early. T6,7 (the fast chicane) is all about dropping just ONE gear and taking seriously rude amounts of kerb/astro - basically on the left hander the WHOLE CAR goes on the green astro (this is not cheating, look at onboards from this seasons F1 race) - and if you achieve this you should be able to flatten the exit - but its even quicker to micro lift in order to stay off too much kerb on exit - it seems to sap traction or something (the astro on exit) so I would avoid too much of it. Right, Campsa. This corner should be flat with the front flap UP. The trick is Line, stay far left before entry (as a check, make sure you touch the kerb on the left before turn in), take a lot of kerb on a mid to LATE apex. Do not take an early apex or you will run out of road on exit. Flat though this corner is worth 0.5 sec alone if you've never done it before. I won't give any tips on sector 3 as I am not entirely happy with my pace through there yet. Oh and if your desperate for 0.1 of a second, lower the flap on the main straight. Hope something in there helps someone.

Is the idea of this thread to reveal what tracks you suck at or give tips on how not to suck?!

Suck: On F12010 I'm finding Melbourne annoying. I don't find the track tricky, infact I feel like I'm in the groove, yet I've downloaded faster ghosts and they just seem to be able to brake later and take more speed through Turn 1, 6, 8 and through the Esses on the back straight. I just can't figure out if its a low or fast downforce circuit for a start. The other circuit where I am generally off the pace is at Monaco, where the pace of some of the cars seems unfeasible. For example, I can basically match a particular ghost that is about 1 sec of a lap faster than me, until casino, but then by the swimming pool they've got the second on me, so S2 is not good for me!

Tips: Few people have expressed difficulty with Spain. I'm pretty handy there (1.18.900 in time trial). My set up is just quick set up lowest downforce, engine on fast and the adjustable front wing UP. Brake very late into T1 including 'turn in' and get 2 wheels over the kerb on the right and then full power before the apex. Then as you go into the left hand T2 sweep the car will obviously be on line over to the right so you HAVE TO bring it back far left for the chance to go flat through the long right hander T3 - even if this means a micro-lift to help bring the car back across this is worth it. Right hand T4 is definately NOT a late braking zone, its all about a smooth line and taking as much speed as possible through it, I find a late apex is ideal and the same goes for T5, its just a slower left hand version - where the key is to be on the power early. T6,7 (the fast chicane) is all about dropping just ONE gear and taking seriously rude amounts of kerb/astro - basically on the left hander the WHOLE CAR goes on the green astro (this is not cheating, look at onboards from this seasons F1 race) - and if you achieve this you should be able to flatten the exit - but its even quicker to micro lift in order to stay off too much kerb on exit - it seems to sap traction or something (the astro on exit) so I would avoid too much of it. Right, Campsa. This corner should be flat with the front flap UP. The trick is Line, stay far left before entry (as a check, make sure you touch the kerb on the left before turn in), take a lot of kerb on a mid to LATE apex. Do not take an early apex or you will run out of road on exit. Flat though this corner is worth 0.5 sec alone if you've never done it before. I won't give any tips on sector 3 as I am not entirely happy with my pace through there yet. Oh and if your desperate for 0.1 of a second, lower the flap on the main straight. Hope something in there helps someone.

Cheers Rinehart... Campsa is one corner I can't get my head round consistently, but I might give it a go tonight. I'm also a bit clumsy through the final chicane if anyone's got any tips on entry to them? I'm trying to carry enough speed, but then understeer kicks in and I have to slam on the brakes and crawl through the second part in order to make the exit.

Is the idea of this thread to reveal what tracks you suck at or give tips on how not to suck?!

Both! I can't offer to many tips myself, I am just not that good. But here's one: if you are looking for those extra tenths off, try to enter the corner in a higher gear. It will force you to brake just about the right amount, and you have to keep up the revs higher... which means a higher entry speed...

Cheers Rinehart... Campsa is one corner I can't get my head round consistently, but I might give it a go tonight. I'm also a bit clumsy through the final chicane if anyone's got any tips on entry to them? I'm trying to carry enough speed, but then understeer kicks in and I have to slam on the brakes and crawl through the second part in order to make the exit.

Campsa? How can you have a hard time on campsa? It's a full throttle corner, no lifting needed, just turn in early enough. Im pretty good at spain, check my ghost if you want to see my way around it. Im in the top 300 at pretty much every track i cared to set a time on, except for the ones I did early where my time got slowly pushed down (aus n Bahrain.). Pretty sure if I went back and put in some hours i'd find another 3-4 tenths.

I always hated Campsa in every game/sim, have that tendency to early apex it. Don't think I've ever done it flat??? I must be doing something seriously wrong...

First thing to remember. You need pretty much max d/f front wing & rear wing at 9 or above for ultimate laptime around catalunya.

Here's my setup.

fw at 11, rw at 10 (or 9,)Brakes at highest pressure, smallest rotors & dist 44 to 56Ballast 60 - 40Front sway bar at 7, rear at 8ride height frt & rear set to 1 (lowest)Frt springs 8rear springs 8 (or 9) depending on whether I need a lil more traction or over/understeerGearing I tend to move all gears about 3 clicks away from extreme left (shorter gears) then have 5th, 6th, and 7th slightly longer so I just top out 7th towards the end of the s/f straight. If its too much of a jump then I adjust 4th to be slightly longer than 3rd, 5th slightly longer than 4th and so on until I dont have too much of a gap when shifting.engine set to fast (duh)alignment (cant remember what order toe & camber is in)top row 2 clicks to the left2nd row 1 click right3rd row 1 click right4th row 1 click right.

Then let rip from there. Im down to a 1:18:7ish (i think) and im sure I could find another .3 somewhere in sector 3. If memory servers correct I think I had a dynamite first 2 sectors, but my best lap didnt include the best I've done in the third sector.

Race my ghost, viceroy1 and lemme know what you think. I'd be happy to help if you're still struggling.

GT5 reminds me I'm not very good at Nürburgring (long one) last corners. I need missing 0.578 seconds!

I always have trouble with the long right-hander leading onto the main straight. It's aggravating when you finally get 9/10 of the lap almost perfect and then either push off the road or slam on the brakes to avoid pushing off the road.

The track I struggle on is Monaco - I'm usually about 0.5s faster than the AI in S1, equal with them in S2 but then about 1-1.5s slower in S3. I can't work out how to make up more time as the AI seem to be able to fly around the last corner, which seems impossible.

I always have trouble with the long right-hander leading onto the main straight. It's aggravating when you finally get 9/10 of the lap almost perfect and then either push off the road or slam on the brakes to avoid pushing off the road.

The countless amount of broken items in my old game room can definitely attest to that. Talk about frustration, that corner comes up so fast and is so important for laptime down the straight, and it's SO easy to overcook it! Once you get a lap right, its amazingly rewarding. Almost sexual. mmmmmmmmmmmmm......

The track I struggle on is Monaco - I'm usually about 0.5s faster than the AI in S1, equal with them in S2 but then about 1-1.5s slower in S3. I can't work out how to make up more time as the AI seem to be able to fly around the last corner, which seems impossible.

Join the club, Phil. Have you seen my post. A good tip for that damned last section at Monaco would indeed be handy!

In GTR2 Monza is a track I really struggle on. Feels very narrow and the cars just slide everywhere with no downforce. I never feel confident that I can bang in a good lap. I've always found Spa a challenge too. More of a setup challenge than a driving one though. I think you need to make certain sacrifices to the setup to get through Eau Eouge without problems.

First thing to remember. You need pretty much max d/f front wing & rear wing at 9 or above for ultimate laptime around catalunya.

Here's my setup.

Then let rip from there. Im down to a 1:18:7ish (i think) and im sure I could find another .3 somewhere in sector 3. If memory servers correct I think I had a dynamite first 2 sectors, but my best lap didnt include the best I've done in the third sector.

Race my ghost, viceroy1 and lemme know what you think. I'd be happy to help if you're still struggling.

Well my best is a 1.19.1 and I think I can find another half a second, not happy with S3 either!

As always there is no must have set up, its what gives the driver feel and confidence. My time was set using a regeared low downforce set up. No other adjustments (other than the wing flap down on the main straight).

This sort of suggests that because Spain is a combination of fast and slow sections, high and low downforce settings balance out. In a race mine would be quicker on the straight which would be an advantage...

Understeer? I've had that problem forever too... I've been steadily taking wider and wider entries to those corners, because I hate the understeer feeling. That 2nd corner has a negative camber too it seems that is annoying. It also seems that there's no definite line, as my own experiments have found...

Luckily for me at least, the rest of the circuit responds quite well to a more pointy car, and there's no one part of the circuit where rear stability is vital, so I would suggest making the car a bit more pointy, or at least take some some of the bite out of the rear to get it looser on corner entry.

Joint the club, Phil. Have you seen my post. A good tip for that damned last section at Monaco would indeed be handy!

I'm not sure if it works on all tracks, but the Monaco I use you can take rascasse as a single braking turn, carrying far far more speed in than would be expected, and braking all the way through. Its difficult to describe I suppose but I certainly don't treat it like a slow hairpin.

Then straightline Anthony Noges, kissing the first apex from a wide entry, accelerating as soon as rascasse terminates, way before T18.

I'm not sure if it works on all tracks, but the Monaco I use you can take rascasse as a single braking turn, carrying far far more speed in than would be expected, and braking all the way through. Its difficult to describe I suppose but I certainly don't treat it like a slow hairpin.

Then straightline Anthony Noges, kissing the first apex from a wide entry, accelerating as soon as rascasse terminates, way before T18.

Aah... you mean treating the whole corner as a braking zone? That could work. Although late braking is usually the poor man's talent...

Actually, I discovered something with F1 2010 in Marina Bay, in Singapore. I was wondering how the ^&&+** I managed a 1.44 a week ago in the Lotus... But I could not get near that time again. So I switched on the dynamic racingline, out of desperation, because I never used it. Did I brake to early for some spots? Yes for two corners. But for the rest of the track I BRAKED MUCH TOO LATE!

So the next time around Monaco I will try to find out if I make the same mistakes there...

Understeer? I've had that problem forever too... I've been steadily taking wider and wider entries to those corners, because I hate the understeer feeling. That 2nd corner has a negative camber too it seems that is annoying. It also seems that there's no definite line, as my own experiments have found...

The most important corner by far in that whole section is the final right-hander, so I treat the preceding left-hander as a throwaway corner, sacrificing speed on the exit there so that I can get set up early for the right turn and get a good launch down the straight.

I've been getting faster around Monaco. I can now do a 1.17.5 in quali conditions, most of the time still lost in S3. Drifted through Tabac (oh yes!) but S3 is just about nailing the last corner. I know it's off camber in real life but it seems excessive in the game. That technique around Rascasse is hard with anti-locks off (I don't use any aids).

The most important corner by far in that whole section is the final right-hander, so I treat the preceding left-hander as a throwaway corner, sacrificing speed on the exit there so that I can get set up early for the right turn and get a good launch down the straight.

I try and hug the left hand side of that corner all the way round, to give me a wider entry to that right hand flick... that's probably the only part of that section I enjoy!

I play a lot of GTR Evo/Race07 online, and I can't stand Maccau. I'm usually quick at all sorts of tracks, but Maccau is just too narrow and too long, and that super hairpin always sneaks up on me and you are never going slow enough for it. Someone else already mentioned Spoon corner at Suzuka, and I'll 2nd that. I've done thousands of laps there in various games and I always feel like I enter too quickly and exit too slowly, which is bad because the back straight is very long if you get 130R right.

In GTR2 Monza is a track I really struggle on. Feels very narrow and the cars just slide everywhere with no downforce. I never feel confident that I can bang in a good lap. I've always found Spa a challenge too. More of a setup challenge than a driving one though. I think you need to make certain sacrifices to the setup to get through Eau Eouge without problems.

I also play lots of GTR2, and I feel you on Monza. I could never seem to stay with the fastest guys in the chicanes. They just pounded the curbs and every time I did that I ended up hooking a wheel in the grass or spinning on acceleration. It also hurt that I never drove the 550, which was by far the best car to have at Monza. As for Spa, Eau Rouge is all about finding the right combination of ride height/springs/packers so that you don't bottom and spin as you climb the hill. It's not really too much of a compromise for the rest of the lap if you get it right. I absolutely love that track, though I also always manage to lose time to the best guys going into and out of the bus stop. I hate chicanes!

Laguna Seca. T6 and especially the last corner are guaranteed disaster for me. 4 off in iRacing? Make that some 20 off throughout a race for me. Blech.
Strangely enough I pulled off one my few wins in online GPL in Laguna Seca.
In GPL I used to suck at Kyalami. There is a modern layout on rfactor I quite like though.

As for Spa, Eau Rouge is all about finding the right combination of ride height/springs/packers so that you don't bottom and spin as you climb the hill. It's not really too much of a compromise for the rest of the lap if you get it right. I absolutely love that track, though I also always manage to lose time to the best guys going into and out of the bus stop. I hate chicanes!

Ya it's not too bad with the gt's, but the prototype's are a real handful through eau rouge and you have to add a bit of rear wing to get through safely. Can make the car understeer round the rest of the lap. Very frustrating.

Daytona road course, in GT5 what a pile of poo ! two flatout blasts and 4 hairpins.

I can't drive the infield, anything quick enough on the banking, just spins the wheels out of the hairpins, and the funny kink between the the 2nd/3rd hairpins puts me on the grass everytime ?

For the infield section, keep the car a gear above what is recommended by the game... if your car is powerful enough on the oval section, then hopefully it's got a fair bit of torque... use that in 3rd gear coming out of the slow bends and you get good enough acceleration with MUCH more manageable traction and handling.

The 'funny kink' seems to either be a dab on the brakes (my RM Corvette needs to), or in slower cars a lift for a second or so... it's deceptive in that it looks a lot faster than it is. It seems like a flat out bend when really it's about 145mph if you're really pushing it.

I don't suck in any track compared to others, but I find Silverstone and Road Atlanta the hardest tracks for me for some reason. I even like Silverstone as a track (haven't driven the new layout though) but it always requires some extra work for me.

Update on Monaco. I am down to 1.17.250 at Monaco in F1 2010, time-trial, 1.18.350 in free practice, all aids off except dynamic racingline, which helped me a lot. It's for the first time in 30 frigging years of playing simulators that I don't lose half a second on the AI cars, any game!

What I seemed to have down wrong al these years is:

1. Brake much too early for Rascasse. I only start braking now just before I turn left (and then right again), and use the last sweep to kick the tail out. Another post in this thread showed me the way.
2. Drive much too fast into Anthony Noghes. Now I keep an even speed (not acclerate anymore), so I can squeeze the car past the right guardrail and get on full throttle much, much earlier.

definately silverstone old and new as well as catalunya as well as suzuka i just plain suck through the esses in sector 1, catalunya i cant get sector 3 right and silverstone it is also the esses. come to think of it fast sweeping left to right to left or vice versa corners do not suit me, i just dont know how to take them. Also not very good at monaco in f1 2010 my best lap is a 1.19.660 which qualified me last(legend difficulty)

Any street course you throw, Il have no confidence or enjoyment driving it.

Outside of that, Ring Knutstorp easiliy tops it. Horrible, bumpy, grimey old thing. Im fine for the first few sweeping corners, but once you get into the twisty hill section and Il be nowhere. Its no fun being stuck in 1st/2nd gear.